


Pale Moonlight

by artsyAquarius



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Death Themes, Ghosts, Humanstuck, Multi, Psychic Abilities, Supernatural Elements, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-29
Updated: 2014-11-29
Packaged: 2018-02-27 09:12:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2687264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artsyAquarius/pseuds/artsyAquarius
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aradia Megido has always been able to see ghosts, but there is one spirit she has never been able to find: her mother. As she searches for answers, she lands herself and her friends in more trouble than they bargained for, using any means necessary to get out of it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Aradia knelt on top of the kitchen bench, cradling her phone between her ear and shoulder while she grabbed herself a mug from the overhead cabinet. “So did everything go ok today, then?”   
“Yeah, it was pretty good.” Karkat’s voice sounded out, seeming a little distracted. “There were a fuckton of flowers. Mom would’ve liked that.”   
Aradia smiled. She knew how hard it still was for Karkat to visit his mother’s grave, even if he pretended he was used to it by now. “How was it, having Nepeta and Meulin there too?”  
“It was…interesting, I guess. It must’ve been pretty weird for Meulin to be there, but I think dad needed her there.” Karkat’s dad and Nepeta’s mom had gotten married last year, and the Leijon girls had moved into the Vantas house a while before that. It was still an adjustment for all of them, but they seemed like a strong, happy family to Aradia.   
“I’m sorry you didn’t get to come this year. I would’ve invited you, but-”  
Aradia nodded, though she knew she couldn’t see it. “That’s ok. Dad would’ve like to be there. For Jack. But Hana’s work is pretty demanding.” Aradia’s aunt Hana is an archaeologist and had to travel quite a bit. Often Aradia and her dad would have to go and pick her up from an airport out in the middle of nowhere.   
Karkat often came to Aradia in these sort of circumstances. They had in common that they had both lost their mothers, but Aradia also had a certain affinity with death. As long as she could remember, she has been able to see and hear ghosts. They were always grey and misty-looking, sometimes taking recognisable human form, but most of the time remaining shapeless. Last year, Karkat had invited her to his mother’s grave, hoping that she’d be able to see her spirit, but she couldn’t. Ghosts didn’t tend to linger around their graves too long.   
“How have you been, Aradia?”   
She had to pause a bit. “Uh, alright, I guess? Not much has happened. Oh, I had a round of flarping yesterday!” she said, referring to the online game her and her friends often played together.   
Karkat groaned. “You’re all such huge fucking nerds. Have you talked to your dad?”   
“About what? Flarping? I really don’t think he’d be interested, Karkat…” she was finding it very difficult to make herself a cup of coffee while speaking on the phone.   
“About your mom, dipshit.” She could practically hear Karkat rolling his eyes. “He still won’t tell you anything about her at all?”  
Aradia clenched her jaw. “Well, no. He gets all touchy and upset every time I mention her, so I don’t bother anymore.”   
“That’s so stupid. She’s your mother. It shouldn’t matter how much of a pissbaby he’s being; you deserve to know about her!”  
Aradia laughed. “I can’t believe you just called my dad a pissbaby. I’m sure he’ll find that hilarious.”   
“Don’t tell him I said that; he’ll kick my ass. What I’m trying to say it that it’s fucked up that he’s hiding everything about her from you. He won’t even let you go her grave! Plus, isn’t Hana her sister? You’d think she’s want you to know about her!”  
“Just…don’t worry about it. I’m not going to push him on the subject.” She quickly checked the digital clock on the microwave. “I gotta go, Karkat. Team Charge is due for a victory tonight!”   
“Right. Have fun with your nerd-herd.”   
Aradia grinned. “Say hi to Nepeta for me!”  
“Will do.”  
Aradia hung up and put her phone in her pocket, carrying her mug of hot coffee to her room. She thought about what Karkat said. She had given up on finding out about her mom, but maybe she shouldn’t have. Her dad always said he was protecting her, but what could it hurt her? Maybe if she find out how and where her mother died, she could find her ghost. It was a long shot, but it would be a waste of her powers not to try.   
She figured she would talk to Tavros about it when she logged on. She trusted his judgment.


	2. Chapter 2

Naturally, Aradia was running a little late, so everyone was already online before she was. She quickly equipped her headset and logged into the game.   
“C’mon Megido, hurry up! We’ve already started!” Vriska barked into Aradia’s headphones.   
She winced. “Ok, ok, I’m in! No need to shout!”   
“Hey, Aradia,” Tavros called cheerfully. Aradia grinned.   
“Are you ready to kick Scourge’s butt tonight, Tav?” she said, getting excited. She loved adventure games where you could control pretty much every aspect. Anything could happen, quite literally.   
“Great to have you here, Aradia, but I wouldn’t be too confident just yet!” Terezi said slyly.   
“Sup, AA?” Sollux didn’t actually play with them; he was just there to help Terezi. The twins shared a telepathic link that allowed them to read each other’s minds at any time. They often used it to their advantage to freak out Karkat or anyone else. Terezi could read nearly anyone’s mind if she was in their vicinity, but Sollux heard the ominous voices of the doomed in his mind.   
“Hey, Sollux. Sorry for being late, guys! Let’s get this party started then, shall we?” with some murmured agreements they began setting up their game session.   
“So Tavros, I was thinking of trying to get dad to tell me about my mom,”   
“Uh, haven’t you already tried that? I thought he didn’t like to talk about it?” Aradia could hear the concern in his voice. The issue of Damara’s death had greatly obsessed Aradia during her pre-teen years, and Tavros had always been there for her to talk to.   
Aradia twiddled her thumbs. “Yeah, but don’t you think I deserve to know what happened?” she was borrowing a little from Karkat, but what he’d said had sounded good so she just went with it.   
“Maybe, but if it’s causing him that much…stress, then I think that-”  
“Oh Jesus Christ Tavros! Just start us off already!” Vriska interjected, her patience wearing thin as usual.   
“Can you just- I’m trying to talk to Aradia, ok?”   
“Blah blah blah- just get on with it! We don’t have all night!” The Nitram siblings were always bickering and getting on each other’s nerves. They both had strange powers, too, but the difference with them is that they inherited theirs from their parents. Tavros was able to communicate with animals and control them to some extent. Vriska had some form of mind control, though it wasn’t exactly ‘control’; she can manipulate people thoughts so that it seemed like it was their decision to do what she wanted them to. She described it as putting an idea in someone’s mind and letting them take the action.   
“But I really think I should push him on it! It’s not fair that he’s keeping it all from me!” Aradia went on, ignoring Vriska.   
“I’d say go for it, AA. I know it’d suck for me if my parents kept this huge thing from me.” Sollux added, his lisp sounding through Aradia’s headphones sharply.   
“Yeah, and if he doesn’t tell you anything, I suggest doing some detective work! Look things up online, sneak around the house and see if you can find anything,” that was from Terezi.   
“Ok, great are we done talking? I’m going to start this thing off, seeing as Tavros obviously isn’t going to!” Vriska basically shouted, making everyone groan.   
Tavros gasped and made an upset sound. “Hey!”  
“What?” Aradia said.   
“Vriska pushed me off a cliff,” he replied miserably.   
His sister laughed manically. “Team Charge is going down!”   
Aradia sighed and went into her inventory. “Ok, I just revived him. And for that move, Vriska, I’m sending a hoard of ghosts to haunt you!” she said with a little bit of gleeful malice.   
“Oh hell no! It’s always the ghosts with you, Megido! Couldn’t you do something a little more original?” Vriska demanded.   
Sollux snickered. “Yeah, the ghost thing’s getting kind of old. You know what, Vriska? I’d shoot her down for being so basic.”   
Aradia gasped dramatically. “How dare you! You’re supposed to be the neutral party here!”  
“It’s a brilliant idea though!” Vriska cackled. “There we go, I just killed you! We are so winning!”   
“Vriska! You can’t just kill everyone straight away! You have to be tactful, and plan out a complex narrative before we eradicate the enemy completely.” Terezi said, using her lawyer voice. “I just set off a mine at your feet. The left half of your body has been rendered useless by the explosion.” She said cheerfully.   
“What the fuck!” Vriska exclaimed. “I’m your own teammate, Terezi! That’s not fucking fair!”  
Terezi cackled. “Justice had to be served! I did what I had to do!”   
Vriska grumbled. “Ok, then. I set off a doomsday device and incinerate you, as well as everyone else on the planet.” She says, sounding satisfied.   
Everyone let out sounds of protest. “Vriska, stop being such a sore loser!” Tavros accused.   
“Unbelievable.” Aradia muttered.   
“So I guess we’re finished here, thanks to Vriska.” Terezi said dryly. “This time again next week?”   
“Sure,”   
“Oh, and don’t forget to talk to your dad, Aradia! Don’t stop until you get information!” Terezi demanded.   
Aradia laughed. “Ok, I will! See you guys later!”


End file.
